The other day, I came across an interesting, albeit hypothetical, auction scenario: Ten companies were bidding for the right to drill in a land tract. Each had done a geological survey of the land and privately assessed how much oil is in there. These surveys were known to be … [Read more...] about Anchor on a business’s value, not its price
Investing Mindset
How I approach investing
Volatility is good for my investments
People fear double-digit stock market declines. I see them as opportunities. The US stock market has been more volatile lately. And my portfolio is better off because of this volatility. I just finished reading Nassim Taleb’s book Antifragile. He has got me thinking about my … [Read more...] about Volatility is good for my investments
Why that market crash didn’t happen?
Last year in November I wrote a blog post (Why I Stay Invested in Stocks?) about some investors (they were my friends) who were convinced that a market crash was imminent, and they were waiting on sidelines with cash to invest. Well, this is nearly the end of 2018 and that crash … [Read more...] about Why that market crash didn’t happen?
Are you prepared for stock market winter?
This is not a panic post. I don’t know when the next market downturn would happen. I don’t care to know either. My investing is not based on predicting future events. As Howard Marks wrote once, "taking bold actions based on forecasts of things that are uncertain isn’t just … [Read more...] about Are you prepared for stock market winter?
Why does the stock market mock us?
Sometimes it feels like the stock market is mocking us—intentionally doing the unexpected. When we invest new money, the stock market promptly falls as if it's punishing us. Other times, it jumps up after we had sold some shares. If you are an investor, you will encounter this … [Read more...] about Why does the stock market mock us?
Don’t take investing advice from people you don’t know!
It was some time in 2011 if I remember correctly. I had tuned to my local NPR station at lunch time. A financial advisor couple was getting interviewed. They had just released a new book on financial planning. It was a pleasant discussion. They seemed genuine. They also appeared … [Read more...] about Don’t take investing advice from people you don’t know!
When do I exit stock positions?
In July 1999, Warren Buffett gave a speech to business leaders in Sun Valley, Idaho. Back then, the U.S. stock market had been on a tear. Understandably, many attendees were very optimistic about their businesses’ prospects. Undaunted though, Buffett went on to make the argument … [Read more...] about When do I exit stock positions?
Be mechanical about your investing approach
As I have written multiple times in prior posts, our gut instincts, friends’ views, media reports, and most expert opinions are really not that useful when it comes to investing. We, investors, consistently underperform even the ordinary index funds by as much as one-third due to … [Read more...] about Be mechanical about your investing approach
Are moats really lame?
Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, said last month that economic moats are lame: “If your only defense against invading armies is a moat, you will not last long. What matters is the pace of innovation. That is the fundamental determinant of competitiveness.” A few days later, I was in … [Read more...] about Are moats really lame?
Revisiting the lost decade of U.S. stocks
If you were following business news in 2010, you must have come across one or two headlines bemoaning America’s “lost decade”. Between 2009 and 2012, there were many discussions in the business media and many columns were written in the press on this subject. How investors have … [Read more...] about Revisiting the lost decade of U.S. stocks